One Year In

I see on Facebook all the time that so and so's parents are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary, or grandparent's are approaching their 65th. You hear stand-up comedians joking about their lengthy marriages, celebrities speaking with talk show hosts about a marriage milestone, and there is even a list of traditional gifts that each special year in marriage is supposed to represent. 

In less than a week, my husband and I will be celebrating our first wedding anniversary. Traditionally, this is said to be the "paper anniversary." Every year in this tradition, anniversary gifts become more and more solid and sturdy- moving from paper to wood to tin to crystal, then china, silver, gold, and finally diamond at a couple's 75th anniversary.

It's hard to imagine being married for 75 years- I haven't even been alive for a third of that time. However, it is easy to imagine how quickly that time could pass by. In the almost- twelve months we have been married, I have grown and learned so much. However, these few months seemed to have passed us by in the blink of an eye. I can't believe that on Monday, my husband and I will be able to exchange the first of many milestone anniversary gifts.

Although at first I was disappointed when I saw that this anniversary had to do with paper, because I was looking for a more glamorous gift, after considering the symbolism of the progression of the gifts, I feel grateful to be able to put down our mark at this first milestone.

Just because our marriage is relatively new does not mean that the marriage is as flimsy as paper- it simply means that our marriage is steadily being built on top of a foundation that will continue to gain strength with age.

If you are celebrating an important anniversary this year, I'd love to know which one you're coming up on. Thank you to all that have wished my husband and I a fruitful, joyous marriage.

I'll let you know what kind of paper I receive on Monday ;)

All the best,

Nila